FA Cup: Southampton v Shrewsbury Town off after Covid-19 cases at Shrews

Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie between Southampton and Shrewsbury is off after a significant number of Shrews players and staff tested positive for coronavirus.

The League One club do not have enough fit, non-isolating players to play the game at St Mary’s Stadium.

The Football Association’s professional game board will decide what will happen with the fixture “early next week”.

Shrewsbury have not trained this week and shut their facilities for 10 days.

The Shropshire side said they had been given medical advice that “it would be unsafe” to play the match, with Southampton told of the decision on Thursday morning.

Wayne Rooney and Derby’s first-team squad will miss their FA Cup tie at Chorley on Saturday following a Covid-19 outbreak which closed their training ground on Monday.

The Rams team for the game at Victory Park will be made up of under-23 and under-18 players.

Shrewsbury’s League One derby against Crewe on New Year’s Day was also called off because of the outbreak, while BBC Shropshire report their next league game against Lincoln on 16 January is also thought to be in doubt.

Southampton are sixth in the Premier League after beating leaders Liverpool on Monday.